Helmut Marko casts MORE doubt on Sergio Perez future and suggests SHOCK replacement

Helmut Marko

Marko casts MORE doubt on Perez future and suggests SHOCK replacement

Red Bull advisor unhappy with driver's performance over the past three races

Lauren Sneath

Monday 26 June 2023 11:57

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Helmut Marko has cast more doubt on Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull, after the Mexican driver suffered poor results in the most recent three races.

The Red Bull mastermind, known to have little patience with sub-par performances by Red Bull drivers, has now suggested that Perez’s goal with Red Bull was to ‘stay for two or three years’ after he joined the team in 2021.

Perez replaced Alex Albon to take the seat for the 2021 season, the latter being an example of Marko’s trigger-happy nature when it comes to changing Red Bull drivers.

Marko: We are keeping options open

Speaking to the Austrian channel ORF Sport, Marko explained that the team is keeping it’s options open to decide a ‘successor’ for Perez’s seat.

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Marko said of Perez: “His initial goal was to stay for two or three years, that would be more than he planned, so we just have to keep the options open to decide who will be his successor.”

Can Ricciardo make a comeback?

The Red Bull advisor also suggested that none other than Daniel Ricciardo may be in line to replace Perez.  The Australian driver drove for four years in Red Bull colours, between 2014 and 2018, and partnered Max Verstappen for two of those.

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were team-mates for two years

Since leaving, he has had a string of bad luck and ended his contract with McLaren early, rejoining Red Bull as a reserve driver for the 2023 season.

The fan favourite hopes to be back on the grid full-time next year, and speculation has arisen around a move back into the Red Bull seat after Marko spoke of assessing ‘where he is really at’ in the car soon.

Ricciardo will soon drive the car at Silverstone for tyre testing.

Marko said: "We will have Daniel Ricciardo in the car for three days after Silverstone at the Pirelli tyre tests, there we will assess his level and where he is really at.”